The devotional below speaks to how we must adapt our level of surrender to God if we are ever going to really love Him and serve Him well.
Do You Really Love Him?
by Oswald Chambers

She has done a good work for Me. —Mark 14:6
If what we call love doesn’t take us beyond ourselves, it is not really love. If we have the idea that love is characterized as cautious, wise, sensible, shrewd, and never taken to extremes, we have missed the true meaning. This may describe affection and it may bring us a warm feeling, but it is not a true and accurate description of love.
Have you ever been driven to do something for God not because you felt that it was useful or your duty to do so, or that there was anything in it for you, but simply because you love Him? Have you ever realized that you can give things to God that are of value to Him? Or are you just sitting around daydreaming about the greatness of His redemption, while neglecting all the things you could be doing for Him? I’m not referring to works which could be regarded as divine and miraculous, but ordinary, simple human things— things which would be evidence to God that you are totally surrendered to Him. Have you ever created what Mary of Bethany created in the heart of the Lord Jesus? “She has done a good work for Me.”
There are times when it seems as if God watches to see if we will give Him even small gifts of surrender, just to show how genuine our love is for Him. To be surrendered to God is of more value than our personal holiness. Concern over our personal holiness causes us to focus our eyes on ourselves, and we become overly concerned about the way we walk and talk and look, out of fear of offending God. “…but perfect love casts out fear…” once we are surrendered to God (1 John 4:18). We should quit asking ourselves, “Am I of any use?” and accept the truth that we really are not of much use to Him. The issue is never of being of use, but of being of value to God Himself. Once we are totally surrendered to God, He will work through us all the time.
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Are you willing to adapt your way of thinking? Have you fully surrendered to the will of God. If not, why not? Today can be the day that your life changes forever. It won’t be easy. BUT it will be eternally worth it.
I would be honored to pray with you and for you. You can respond below, send me a message via my contact page, or PM me on Social media.
#love #adapt
A very challenging and true devotional Barbara! I agree with it wholeheartedly in that rather than seeking holiness in itself, the life of total surrender to Him should be our goal. In surrender to Him we will find holiness in Him!
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Yes & Amen!
Have a blessed week, my friend.
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I love the idea of ‘giving small gifts of surrender’ (serving others in love) to God. We don’t need to be extravagant, we just need to give consistently.
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It makes the “task” much more manageable, doesn’t it?
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Getting outside ourselves isn’t always easy, but I agree that it is definitely necessary to truly love! “If what we call love doesn’t take us beyond ourselves, it is not really love.”
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❤👍
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Surrender, delight and being a sweet fragrance to Him is what it is all about, Barb.
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Mmmm
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I love this! It speaks to me in 2 areas of life that I’m facing right now. Surrender so that I can “Discover” (my word for the year) what His will is for me.
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May you be blessed in your discovering! ❤
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Wishing you blessings..each and every day is a new start!
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Yes it is!
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